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Five Types of Cloud Virtualization: Compute, Storage, Network, VDI

Study material and explanations for Unit 3

Types of Virtualization: Compute, Storage, Network, Desktop, and Application

Virtualization is not limited to just servers. In cloud data centers, every component of IT is virtualized to maximize efficiency.

The 5 Core Types of Virtualization

The 5 Core Types of Virtualization
1. Server / Compute
Splits physical CPU & RAM into virtual machines (VMs)
2. Storage
Combines multiple hard drives into a single unified storage pool
3. Network (SDN)
Creates virtual switches, routers & firewalls via software
4. Desktop (VDI)
Runs desktop OS on a remote cloud server; user streams display
5. Application
Runs apps inside isolated containers without installing on host OS

1. Server / Compute Virtualization

  • Masks physical server resources (processors, cores, RAM) from operating systems.
  • Allows multiple operating systems (Linux, Windows Server) to run concurrently on a single physical host.
  • Technologies: VMware ESXi, KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine), Microsoft Hyper-V.

2. Storage Virtualization

  • Pools physical storage from multiple network storage devices (hard drives, SSDs) into what appears to be a single centralized storage device.
  • The administrator can assign 500GB from this pool to any server in seconds.
  • Technologies: Storage Area Networks (SAN), Network Attached Storage (NAS), Ceph.

3. Network Virtualization (Software-Defined Networking - SDN)

  • Splits available network bandwidth into independent, secure virtual channels.
  • Virtual switches, virtual routers, and virtual firewalls are configured completely via software code without touching physical network cables.
  • Technologies: VMware NSX, Cisco ACI, OpenFlow.

4. Desktop Virtualization (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure - VDI)

  • Instead of giving every employee a costly ₹60,000 laptop, the company hosts their Windows desktops on a central cloud server.
  • Employees can login from cheap ₹8,000 thin clients, tablets, or home PCs and see their exact office work desktop.
  • Technologies: Citrix XenDesktop, VMware Horizon, Amazon WorkSpaces.

5. Application Virtualization

  • Packages an application and all its required DLLs and dependencies into an isolated virtual capsule.
  • The app runs smoothly without interfering with other installed software or requiring installation rights.
  • Technologies: Docker containers, Microsoft App-V, VMware ThinApp.

💡 DAVV Exam Tip

Question (10 Marks): “Explain the different types of virtualization used in Cloud Computing.”

  • List all 5 types with clear headings.
  • Give a 3-line explanation and 1 software example for each type.
  • Draw the 5-pill classification diagram.